Caracal Safari - Cat Expeditions - Jan 2026
January started the year off with a bang. The main focus was to find one of Africa’s more elusive cats, the caracal, for a company which specializes in searching for the various wild cat species of the world. This is a new business relationship for me and perhaps one that goes deep into the future. I like what Cat Expeditions stands for and how they conduct their trips. Think of it like the modern-day hunting expedition - you come with a purpose to track down your quarry, and day in, day out, you search. You get a lead, and you persist until you get the shot - it wasn’t just luck - it was days of effort, staring into the bush all for it to come together so you can capture that one moment!
Hosting both Sebastian and Rachel and their four guests, our exploratory trip was a success - it was a privilege to lead this group of avid cat enthusiasts and photographers into some of my old hunting grounds - areas in which I grew up and spent years exploring the natural wonders. In total, we came away with 10 sightings, some of which were only lasted a few seconds before they melted back into the surrounding vegetation. In fact most of the caracals we saw were, as you expect, very shy and so in total I worked out of the 40+ hours we worked one small area, our guests probably got about 20 seconds total of good photo opportunity - but I am sure you will agree with me and that this shot below is superb and a moment when it all pays off - a great image to celebrate a successful trip and a link to their tour. You can check out their website by clicking on the image below!
What makes this journey particularly exciting is that it is truly one of a kind. Caracals are notoriously difficult to see with any degree of certainty, and many experienced naturalists have encountered them only a handful of times in their lives. Over the years I have explored a number of areas where these elusive cats occur and have developed a good understanding of the landscapes they favour. While nothing in nature can ever be guaranteed, I believe this expedition offers one of the very best opportunities available anywhere to search for — and hopefully encounter — these remarkable animals.
Lion takes on a caracal family and unbelievably, they all escape with their lives!
